Bonding device for railway bonds



238. RAILWAYS, SURFACE Aug. 25, 1925.. 1,550,728

' C. H. LOUTREL BONDING DEVICE FOR RAILWAY BONIIJS Filed March 3,1924 .2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIE l v 5,

238- RAILWAYS, SURFACE TRACK, XAMWER;

Aug. 25, 1925. 1,550,72

' v C. H. LOUTREL 238 RAlLWAYS, SURFACE TRACK,

Patented Aug. 25, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CYRUS H. LOUTREL, OF SOUTH ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL LOOK WASHER COMPANY, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEV JERSEY.

BONDING DEVICE FOR RAILWAY BONDS.

Application filed March 3, 1924. Serial No.' 696,417.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CYRUS H. LOUIREL, a citizen of the United States, residing at South Orange, Essex county, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bonding Devices for Railway Bonds; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has reference to the bonding of railway rails so that they may serve as a conductor of electricity, but more partlcularly refers to a bonding device conslsting of a tempered resilient metal bar of good conductivity so constructed and equlpped that, when applied as hereinafter described, it will be in intimate contact at its extremities with meeting rails.

l/Vith these ends in View the invention consists of certain constructions applied to the rails in a suitable manner, as will be hereinafter fully described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this application and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the bonding device applied in position with respect to the rail webs and supported around the bolts.

Figure 2 is a side elevation, similar to Figure 1, but with the splice plate applled.

Figure 8 a view at line 33 of Figure 1 with the rail in section.

Figure 4 a section at line 4. 1 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 a section at line 55 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 a View similar to Figure 5 but with the rail in section.

Figure 7 a detail perspective view of the bonding device, and

Figure 8 a view similar to Figure 7 but showing a modified form of the bonding device.

Similar numerals of reference denote like parts in the several figures of the drawing.

The bonding device comprises a metal bar bent to form a bowed member 1 at its central portion, with the ends of this member formed into spring loops 2 as shown at Figure 7.

The splice plates A are positioned as usual with respect to the rails with the bonding device confined between one of the plates and the webs 3 of the rails. The member 1 extends outwardly toward the inner face of the splice plate and the bolts 4 extend through the loops 2 at the ends of the bonding device, and as the nuts 5 are driven against th spring washers 6, the bow 1 will first be depressed which depression will continue to a considerable degree until its associated splice plate has been forced into place against the rails, and, since the nuts are driven by a powerful track wrench, so as to properly compress the spring washers, the compression of the bow will cause the extremities of the loops to be embedded within the webs of the rails so as to afford intimate contact therewith.

The bonding device is of strong structure and is resilient, and the temporary spreading of the splice plates, caused by the passage of heavy loads, will not materially affect the tension under which the bow and loops have been placed, and the intimate contact aforesaid will be preserved. After the passing of a load the splice plates will be restored to their normal position, the powerful spring washers now used by most railroads resisting the strains of compression to such a degree and possessing so much resilient force that they will readily effect this result.

The extreme ends of the spring loops 5 are comparatively sharp and may take the form of spur-like terminals or chisel points 7.

The formation of the loops as well as their shape are immaterial, and their extremities may point inwardly as at Figure 7 or outwardly as at Figure 8, since in any instance the compression of the bow portion will cause the extremities of the spring loops to embed themselves in the webs of the rails.

Owing to the fact that the electrical conductivity of various types of spring steels and metals varies considerably per unit of area, and since the cross sectional area of the material of which the device is made also affects its electrical conductivity, this invention is not restricted to any form of cross section nor to the use of those particular metals known as spring steels, since other materials may be used in the manufacture of the bonding device.

What is claimed is 1. In a bonding device for railway rails, the combination with the splice plate, of a bowed resilient bond bar whose ends are formed into spring loops and which is confined between said plate and the webs of the rails, and means operating against the resiliency of said bar for clamping said plate to the rails and thereby placing said bar under tension and forcing the ends of said loops into intimate contact with said webs.

2. In a bonding device for railway rails, the combination with the splice plate, the bolts, spring washers and nuts for clainping said plate against the webs of the rails,

of a resilient bonding bar having a spring loop at each end, said bar and its terminal loops being confined between said plate and Webs, and said bolts extending through the loops, the bar being placed under tension and the extremities of the loops having chisel points that are forced into close contact with said webs by the clamping action of the nuts.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature hereto.

CYRUS H. LOUTREL. 

